Draw-gear for railway-cars.



No. 736,823. PATENTBD AUG. 18, 1903.

J. F. GOURS ON. I DRAW GEAR FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION rum) JAN. a, 1903. no mobnL. mums-sum 1.

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No. 736,823. I PATBNTBD AUG. 18, 1903.

' J. P; common,

DRAW GBAR FOB RAILWAY CARS.

APPLIOATIORIILED JAN. 8, 1903, NO MODEL.v 2 BHEETS SHEET 2 G k I 'Q 3 Y Rf \N o o l 1 1 l l l l l fif 1260616650 JFCDl/RSON UNITED STATES Patented August 18, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

DRAW-G EAR FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 736,823, dated August 18, 1903.

Application filed January 8, 1903. Serial No. 138,260. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. COURsON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pitcairn, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draw-Gear for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in drawgear for railway-cars; and it consists in the features and combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention with parts in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of Fig. 1. v Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a differentform of the invention. Fig. 4. is a transverse sectional view of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are views of modifications.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the floor of the car is indicated at 1. 2 indicates the center sills of the car, and between these angle-irons 3 and 4 extend, having their flanges bolted or riveted at 5 to the vertical portions of the center sills. These angle-irons are rolled of general U shape and extend horizontal and parallel to each other with a space 6 between them. Each of'the angle-irons is provided with a plurality of openings 7 therein, there being three opposite openings in the present instance, as indicated in the drawings. Coilsprings 8 are arranged in these openings of the transverse angle-irons, and these springs are held in place by means of a plate 9, secured to the lower angle-iron and extending across the openings therein to form a rest for the springs, this holding-plate 9 being socured in place by the same rivets or bolts which secure the angle-iron to the center sills. The upper angle-iron has the openings therein formed with overhanging edges 10, adapted to fit closely to the sides of the springs, so that the latter will be held against vertical displacement. The draft bar is shown at 11 and is arranged in the space 6 between the angle-irons, so as to move snugly therein, and. at its front end the draft-bar is connected with the draw-bar 12, for which purpose the draft-iron 11 is provided with a head 13, fitted laterally into an opening in the draw-bar 12, and a bolt 14. is used for completing the fastening of these two parts together. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the draft iron or bar 11 is provided with openings at 15, receiving the springs before mentioned. These openings are of dilferent sizes, and, as will be noticed, the center one 15 is of such size that the front and rear walls thereof will contact normally with the spring arranged in the said opening. The opening 15 is slightly larger than the spring which it contains, and the front opening 15 is larger again than the rear opening 15", so that when the draft-iron is moved in either direction there will be a graduated action in that the middle spring will be first com pressed,the rear spring will be next compressed, and finally the front spring will be engaged by the draft-bar and compressed if the force exerted by the pull or push of the draft-bar is sufficient for this purpose. The same action takes place whether the draft-bar is pushed or pulled, one spring being taken up after the other. It will be noted that the springs are closely confined by the angle-irons as constructed and arranged and that the draft iron or plate contacts with the springs in line with their axes, and thus the pressure upon the springs is directly axial, and there is no tendency for the springs to be forced out of proper position.

It will be noticed that no follower-plates are used in my arrangement and none are necessary, because of the arrangement of the draft-iron and angle-irons. I do not wish to limit myself to the number of springs nor to the precise form and arrangement of parts. I may add strengthening -plates at 16 as shown, for example, in Figs. 3 and 4:, upon the angle iron or irons on each side of the spring in order to strengthen the web of the angle-irons, so that in pulling or buffing the angle-iron will not be torn or bent. For this purpose the strengtheningplates may each channel-iron.

It will be understood that the angle-irons are, in efiect, stops against which the springs hear. I am aware that it is not new to apply stops in an upright position bolted or riveted to the draft-timbers or center sills, together with follower plates bearing againstthe consist of a flat piece of iron riveted to the ICO springs in compressing them; but, so faras I am aware, it is new to arrange between the center sills of the car plates or irons extending horizontally from one sill to the other and connected thereto, the said plates not only serving to brace the center sills but also serving as stops for the springs against which they bear when under compression.

In Figs. 3, 4, and 5 I show another form of my invention, in which instead of having a pair of angle-irons of U shape I employ an I-iron set with its web horizontal and with its flanges bolted or riveted to the center sills of the car. This iron, like that before referred to, is formed by rolling. This I-iron 17 is provided with openings 18 in its web, in whicharelocatedspringslQ. Thedraw-bar12 is connected in thisinstance to a pair of draftbars 11, arranged above and below the Web of the I-iron and having projections 20 embracing the springs. These bars are held together by bolts 11". In this instance also the taking up of the springs is gradually performed, the center spring normally resting with its ends against the projections of the draft-bars, while the front and rear springs have spaces between them and the adjacent projections, so that the springs will be taken up in succession. In this form also I use no follower-plates, the upper and lower draftbars acting evenly and uniformly on the springs and the I-iron serving as a stop arranged axially of the springs.

It will be noticed that there is a common feature existing in each of the forms above described in that the draft-gear comprises a plurality of members,one of which is arranged axially in line with the spring and the other members engaging, respectively, the upper and lower portions of the spring or springs or those'portions which project from the central member. In the form shown in Fig. 1 the central member is the draft-bar, while the upper and lower members form the stops for the spring or springs, while in the second form (shown in Fig. 3) the stop is the central member,while the upper and lower members are parts of the draft-bar,this form being substantially the reverse of that first described.

In Fig. 6 is shown still another form of my invention, in which the two end springs 8 and 8" are carried bodily by the draft-car by fitting closely in openings therein. The angleirons at these springs are provided with openings larger than the springs. The purpose of this arrangement is to avoid the blows or shocks to the cars and particulary the shock incident to the relaxation of the springs. Such shocks or jars will be taken up by the draftbar itself, which, as before stated, has openings in which the springs fit closely, while the openings in the angle-irons are considerably larger. This arrangement is a graduated one, the middle spring resisting the initial blow and the other springs acting in succession.

In Fig. 7 is shown an arrangement in which the end springs are placed in the draft-bar under some compression. The rear spring 8 finds a bearing at its rear end against the stop-plate or angle-bar 3', while at its front end there is a space between it and the stopbar. The front spring is the reverse in its relation to the stop-bar, as it finds a bearing thereagainst at its front end, but does not bear thereagainst at its rear end. The mid- .dle spring finds normally a bearing against the stop-plates at both ends. Under a buffing strain the middle spring will be compressed and also the rear spring; but the front spring will not be immediately compressed, but will be taken up after the draft-bar has moved to a certain extent.

In Fig. 8 I show the adaptation of my invention to old styles of cars having wooden beams or sills. In this form I employ Z-shape beams 2, bolted to the outer sides of the center sills or beams 2 which are made of wood. The draft-gear, including the angle-irons and springs, are arranged between these Z-beams precisely in the same manner as between the beams 2, before described, and where in the accompanying claims I use the term sills or beams it will be understood that I mean generically any form of beam between which the draft-gear may be located.

The Z-bars 2 in the present instance are shown on the outer sides of the wooden beam, though I do not wish to limit myself in this particular, as the Z-bars may be used as well on the inner sides of the beams. The space between the wooden beams may be filled by a beam 21.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination in a draw-gear, a spring, a stop member, and a draft member associated therewith, one of the said members being arranged in line with the axis of the spring and the other member acting on the said spring to one side of the axial line, substantially as described.

2. In combination in a drawgear for cars, a spring and three members associated therewith, one member being arranged in line with the axis of the spring and the other two members acting upon the spring on opposite sides of its axial line, the said members including stop and draft means, substantially as described.

3. In combination in a draw-gear for cars, a rolled channel-iron, sills or beams between which the channel-iron extends horizontally, a spring, the said spring being located in an opening in the channel-iron and a draft-bar associated with the spring and channel-iron, substantially as described.

4.. In combination in a draw-gear, a rolled channel-iron with its web disposed horizontally, a spring located in an opening in said web and a draft iron associated with the spring and channel-iron, substantially as described.

5. In combination in a draw-gear, a spring, stop and draft members arranged to bear directly against the ends of thesaid spring, one of said parts being located axially in line with the spring, substantially as described.

6. In combination in a draw-gear, a spring, a stop member and a draft member, both the said parts being arranged to contact directly with the spring, substantially as described.

7. In combination in a draw-gear, a pair of horizontally-disposed plates having each an opening therein, a spring extending from one plate to the other and located in the open ings in the said plates and a draft-iron arranged between the plates and operating axially of the spring, substantially as described.

8. In combination in a draw-gear, a spring, a pair of horizontally-disposed plates, each having an opening to receive a part of the spring, a 1 draft iron moving between the plates and arranged to bear on the spring and a plate for holding the spring in place, sub-' stantially as described.

9; In combination in a draw-gear, a spring, a pair of horizontally-disposed plates having openings therein to receive the spring, the opening of the upper plate having overhanging edges, a draft-bar moving between the plates and means for holding the spring against dropping down from the plates, substantially as described.

10. In combination with the sills or beams, a rolled channel-iron extending horizontally between them and having an opening therein, a spring located in saidopening and a draft-bar associated with the spring, substantially as described.

11. In combination with the sills or beams, a pair of plates disposed horizontally and ex tending between the said sills or beams and each having an opening, a springlocated in said openings and a draft-bar arranged between the plates and operating against the central portion of the spring,substantially as described.

12. In combination with the center sills or beams, a pair of U-shaped angle-irons having their webs disposed horizontally and their flanges secured to the center sillsor beams and each having an opening, a spring having its upper and lower portions disposed respectively in the openings of the upper and lower angle-irons and a draft-bar operating between the angle-irons and axially of the spring, substantially as described.

13. In a draw-gear the combination of a plurality of springs, stop and draft members,

one of which is arranged axially in line with the springs and the other members engaging the projecting portions of the springs, the draft member being arranged to take up the springs in succession, substantially as described.

14. In combination in a draft-gear, a draftbar, a spring carried thereby and stop means to contact with the said spring, the said spring being normally out of contact with the said step means, substantially as described.

15. In combination, a draft-bar having an opening therein, a spring confined in the said opening and stop means normally out of contact with the spring, the said spring being moved into contact with the said stop means by the movement of the draft-bar, substantially as described.

16. In combination, a draft-bar having an opening containing a spring therein,a stop means normally out of contact with the spring at one end thereof, the said spring being moved into contact with the stop means by the movement of the draft-bar, substantially as described.

17. In combination with thesills, angleiron beams secured to the sills and a draftgear arranged between the angle-iron beams, substantially as described.

18. In combination, the sills, the Z-bars attached thereto and a draft-gear arranged between the Z bars, substantially as described.

19. In combination, in a draft-gear, three plates and a spring interposed between the plates, the middle plate being movable to compress the spring, substantially as described.

20. A draft-gear comprising a draft-bar, a spring carried therebyand stop means for the two ends of the spring normally out of contact therewith, substantially as described.

21. A draft-gear comprising a draft-bar, a spring carried thereby, stop means for the spring normally out of contact therewith and a second spring to be acted on by the draftbar, said second spring being in contact with its stop means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F. COURSON.

Witnesses:

F. L.-MIDDLETON, JAMES M. SPEAR. 

